Improvement in devices for supporting shelves



ww i F. G. JOHNSON. DEVICE FOR SUPPORTINGSHELVES.

Patented May 22,1877.

1 b w l nd nvw B PETERS, PHOTO-LITNOGRAPHER, \nmsx'umsrcmv D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK-Gr. JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT'IN DEVICES FOR SUPPORTING SHELVES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19 ii ,058, dated May22, 1877 application filed November 24, 1876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK G. JOHNSON, of the city, county, and State ofNew York, have invented a new and useful method of fastening andadjusting the shelves of book-racks, bookcases, and other shelving totheir upright stanchions or supports; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description of the constructionand operation of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1represents a vertical front view; Fig. 2, a sectional vertical sideview; and Fig. 3, a transverse section.

The object of my invention is to produce portable and adjustableshelving for bookracks, book-cases, closets, stores, &c.

The nature of my invention consists in securing to each end of shelves ametallic fixture, provided with a projecting vertical dovetail bar, toslide up and down in a corresponding vertical dovetail groove or slot inthe upright supports of the shelves, by means of which the shelves canbe readily placed in or removed from their uprights, or placed and heldtherein at any desired distances from each other, by simply binding thedovetail bar in the dovetail slot or groove with a thumb set-screw,working in the said bar, and pressing against the uprights in the bottomof the slots or grooves.

The following is a full description of the construction and operation ofmy invention.

B B B B represent a set of shelves of any desired length, width, andthickness. represent their upright stanchions or supports. C E Drepresent the devices for attaching the shelves to their uprights, Ebeing a bar of suitable length, and having a dovetail shape, and held tothe upright by being slipped into a groove of corresponding shape andsize, made in or near the center of the uprights A A, which groovesextend unbroken from the top to nearly the bottom of both stanchions. OG are ears or projections extending atright angles from the bars E E, towhich are securely fastened the shelves B B, by screws or rivets. D Dare thumb set-screws, by tightening which the bars E E are securelybound and held within corresponding grooves in the uprights, and thewhole apparatus rendered rigid and firm.

By turning back the thumb set-screws D D of either shelfB B, the shelfcan be raised or lowered any required distance, and be there secured bytightening the screws again.

The method of putting up the shelving is to slip the shelves one afteranother into the grooves at the top of the uprights, and let them slidedown to their several desired positions, and there secure them bytightening the several thumb-screws.

By turning back the thumb screws. the shelves can, one after the other,be slipped out of the grooves, and the apparatus be thus taken apart,and rendered portable.

The continuous grooves in the uprights may be made by sinking or cuttingthem in the wood or substance of the uprights themselves, as shown,orthey may be provided by securing to the uprights, by screws orotherwise, suitable metallicstrips containing the grooves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The dovetail bar E, arranged to slide in the corresponding verticaland continuous groove in the upright AA, and provided with suitableprojection O, to which the shelf B can be fastened, substantially as setforth.

2. The combination of the thumb set-screw D with the dovetail bar E, forsecuring the bar E at any desired point in the corresponding groove ofthe upright, substantially as described.

FRANK G. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

G. M. KENDALL, F. P. WHITING.

